POLAR winds mean snow could even reach the east coast of Spain by tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday, according to the State meteorological agency, AEMET.

Already, several provinces in northern and central Spain are under weather warnings and drivers are being advised not to leave home unless they have snow chains.

Emergency services have already had to rescue a husband and wife aged 57 after they became trapped in their car for 30 hours on the border of the provinces of Guadalajara and Segovia (central Spain).

The Comunidad Valenciana, particularly inland parts of its three provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante, could see anything from 30 to 50 centimetres (1'0” to 1'8”) of snow by tomorrow.

Further south, the province of Almería is expected to see between 10 and 15 centimetres (4-6”) and Granada, Huelva and parts of the Sierra de Grazalema in the province of Cádiz around five centimetres (two inches).

Snow in Mediterranean provinces is extremely rare except a long way inland, but although the temperature is normally in double figures even at night in these areas by this time of year, the whole of this week will see daytime readings not climbing above 10ºC and minimum temperatures of as little as 2ºC, with the humidity meaning this will feel like 7ºC and 0ºC respectively.

And tidal waves – high tides swallowing up the beach and reaching the road – are expected in the south, with the port of Tarifa (Cádiz province) being closed and the possibility of the same occurring in Gibraltar.